One of my favorite teas from one of my favorite shops. I try to keep this one on hand, and particularly enjoy drinking a cup right before bed to finish my night. (Yes, I know this is a mate – caffeine does nothing for me..!)

It’s great right from the first step: big chunks of dried fruit (licorice and pineapple), gorgeous blue cornflower petals, and a fresh-looking bright green mate base exude a pleasantly spicy cinnamon apple scent. I definitely recommend putting this in a tin; the ingredients are very different sizes and you want a balanced scoop.

The steep releases more cinnamon apple scent, this time emphasizing the fruit. I love watching this tea steep, as the liquor very slowly and very gradually becomes its ready-to-drink pale gold.

Generally, I like my teas to have a very bold flavor. Rainforest Mate is unique because the sip initially tastes very watery, a notable tart sweetness creeping around the edges of your tongue and throat as it sits and finishing up with slight anise notes. It’s confusingly weak and bold at the same time, the latter definitely aided by heat; I’ve never iced this tea but having tried it nearly cooled I don’t particularly want to.

Writing this overdue tasting note, I’m realizing that I have plenty of flavored mates (nearly all of which I love) but have never tried the stuff plain. Any brand recommendations?
-Cash

Preparation

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This is the joint account of Cash and Chris, two American University seniors and roommates with a love of tea and a shared collection that makes two separate accounts pretty pointless. Each tasting note is signed by which one of us wrote it.

In our photo, Chris is on the left in the plaid and Cash on the right in the poncho.

Cash is studying psychology and works at the Apple Store. He enjoys drumming, overanalyzing, and hoarding.

Chris is studying criminal justice and works for the EPA. He enjoys being terrible.

Send us a message if you’d like to do a tea trade, we’re always down to try new varieties!

Cash: I am on an epic quest to acquire some of 52teas’ Marshmallow Treat Genmaicha. It sounds like literally the perfect tea to me, and I will trade ANYTHING in my cupboard for it. Seriously. Send me a message if you’ve got some to spare.